Ransomware Crooks: Busier Than Ever, But Broke!

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Oh, the cybercrime business, a veritable phoenix of prosperity, rising from the ashes of digital chaos… or so it seems on paper. According to a new report from Chainalysis, the number of ransomware attacks has leaped 50% in 2025, with nearly 8,000 incidents recorded. Yet, for all their hustle, the hackers find themselves with less coin than the previous year-truly, a tale of two fortunes.

The Art of the Small Fry

Total ransom payments in 2025 came in at a paltry $820 million-an 8% drop from 2024. Reports say the decline is tied to regulators tightening their grip, law enforcement cracking down on money-laundering networks, and companies refusing to pay. With big organizations shutting the door, attackers moved on to easier prey. “Smaller victims pay faster,” quoth Corsin Camichel, a sage of the digital underworld. But faster does not mean richer, as the math of their schemes begins to catch up with them.

The gap between the number of attacks claimed and the actual cash collected tells its own tale. The attackers, ever the dramatists, file more claims than ever, yet the funds flow back to them with a dwindling trickle. A most unfortunate turn for those who thought they’d struck gold.

According to Chainalysis, that gap signals something important-the people running these operations are putting in more work for a worse result. A most unfortunate turn for those who thought they’d struck gold.

The Cost of Breaking In: A Bargain Hunt

Part of the surge in attacks is the plummeting cost of entry. The price for purchasing access to a victim’s system has fallen like a lead balloon-$1,427 in early 2023 to a mere $439 by early 2026. How convenient for the aspiring crooks! Artificial intelligence tools and an oversupply of ready-made attack software have made it easier for more people to join the ransomware game. The result? A crowded field of attackers, each vying for the same pool of victims, driving down their own profits-a classic case of supply outpacing demand.

#CertiKStatsAlert

Combining all the incidents in January we’ve confirmed ~$370.3M lost to exploits.

~$311.3M of the total is attributed to phishing with one victim losing ~$284M due to a social engineering scam.

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– CertiK Alert (@CertiKAlert) January 31, 2026

Even as ransomware payments trend downward, the broader picture of crypto-related crime remains grim. According to CertiK, $370 million in crypto was stolen in January 2026 alone. Phishing attacks, ever the villains, account for the bulk of these losses. Ransomware may be generating less revenue, but the wider world of crypto theft is far from slowing down-truly, a tale of two crimes.

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2026-02-27 17:42